


Warm, Timid Smiles

by itsreallyhardtopickthese



Series: Drabbles [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drabble, F/M, No Dialogue, Romance, What am I doing, i dont hate albus but come on, remus is such a cutie, what is this even
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 09:03:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16971708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallyhardtopickthese/pseuds/itsreallyhardtopickthese
Summary: She doesn't think that Professor Lupin would appreciate her crushing on him from afar, that doens't stop her though.





	Warm, Timid Smiles

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I don't know what this is but I HAD to write about Remus Lupin so this is whatever. So... I'm sorry.

                 She hears the whispers first, the ones about Harry Potter and the mystery Professor. She has heard that he is rather haggard, that his clothes are slightly too large (like he hasn’t had a good meal in quite some time) and that his hair is limp around his weathered face. She doesn’t spot him when they are transferred from the train either, though she has looked.

                She finally spots him during the feast, true to the whisperings of the Hogwarts student body he is nothing to be awe-struck by. In fact, she would rather call him ordinary but while the other Hufflepuffs are whispering to each other about how cute Gregory Harris is this year she can’t help but sneak glances at the new Professor who is being blatantly ignored by Professor Snape. There is a wariness to him that she finds calls to her. She thinks that she will get to the bottom of what mystery is being hid by his hollow smiles by the end of the school year, it is by all accounts the longest he will likely be around for, if the curse has its way.

                He is a good Professor, if the accounts of the other students are anything to go by (she thinks that half of them are not worth listening to, but the other half are alright). When she finally does make it to his class, he smiles at everyone who enters (she is no different and she doesn’t wonder why, there are much prettier girls in her year). She thinks he might be the best DADA Professor they have ever had (she would never admit this near Professor Snape though, she is on rather good terms with him and would like to stay that way).

                He is rather taken with Harry Potter, not in any real concerning way but taken none-the-less. She finds that she is irrationally jealous of this (especially at her age!), Hufflepuffs are arguably the most overlooked House and she should not be surprised that a Gryffindor Professor should have some House bias (just look at Dumbledore).

                She doesn’t tell her friends (those of who share her dorm) of the crush that has somehow formed on their very good, haggard Professor. They wouldn’t understand, they think him a nice Professor who knows his stuff, but nobody whispers about him the way they once did for Lockhart. They would most likely laugh at her, and she didn’t think she could handle Professor Lupin’s blatant disregard for her AND their laughing.

                When Professor Lupin asks them to show their Patronus’ she thinks she might just be blessed by Helga Hufflepuff herself. She would not call herself a genius, not like Hermione Granger was lining up to be. However, she was skilled at some things and she studied accordingly. Her Patronus isn’t something to be gawked at, it isn’t even that impressive of an animal, but she is proud that it is seen clearly and that it is rather bright. When she casts a corporeal Patronus he smiles brightly, and she thinks it might just reach his eyes (and if any other smiles reach his eyes, she ignores it).

                When Professor Snape stood in for Professor Lupin and talked endlessly about the dangers of Werewolves, she couldn’t help but cringe. There was something Professor Snape was trying to tell the class she was sure of it, though for the life of her she couldn’t think of what he was trying to say. When she looks back at this moment, she will think of what a dullard she is, for wasn’t Stacy just mentioning the full moon the day before?

                Though she thinks she should have known, when the news of Harry Potter’s daring escape from Remus Lupin she is utterly dismayed. Her parents are Pure-blooded, they don’t speak of the First Wizarding War and she tries not to think of why. She should hate Professor Lupin, should be disgusted with herself for having formed such a crush on someone who is deemed to be less than them. However, how could she be disgusted by his warm, timid smiles, or his too large clothes. She decides not a moment after the news leaks that she doesn’t care that Professor Remus Lupin is a Werewolf, and she thinks that the Hufflepuffs whispering about him with frowns on their faces should be ashamed of themselves.

                When she learns that he will resign (the curse strikes again) she is sad but not surprised. Her own parents have already owled her about their disgust of the man and Albus Dumbledore for having such a creature near their children (her brother is a true Slytherin heir). No parent, not even a muggle one such as Hermione Granger’s parents can ever say they would want Professor Lupin to stay on. She doesn’t cry (she doesn’t really see the point) but she does decide to do something nice for him.

                She sneaks into his office when he has just walked out (she doesn’t wish to face him) and placed the small bag of things she has acquired for him. She hopes he smiles that warm, timid smile when he sees it. She doesn’t sign her name on the card, she doesn’t think they will ever meet again but she can’t stand to imagine him knowing what she has thought all this year.

                When she runs straight into the Professor upon exiting his office, she doesn’t dare look him in his eyes, she doesn’t think her nerves can handle it (certainly her heart is to give out at any moment the way it beats in her chest). She doesn’t wait for his reply either, before she is rushing off, away from Professor Lupin’s warm, timid smile.

                He doesn’t call after her, he doesn’t think she would appreciate it. When he sees the card and bag of chocolates, he can’t help but be curious.  He thinks that while this seems characteristically like a Hufflepuff she doesn’t seem the sort to leave presents (though how should he know by how quiet she is?). He reaches for the card, thinking perhaps this will offer some sort of insight into all of this.

_Dear Professor._

_I thought you were brilliant. As you once told me, chocolates make everything better._

                He can’t help but be pleasantly surprised by the girl. The smile that makes its way on to his face is not timid, though it is as warm as ever.

 

 


End file.
